Nakedly Examined Music Podcast

Guitarist Kavus began in dual-guitar bands in the ’90s with his buddy Dan Chudley, most notably Monsoon Bassoon. He joined the Cardiacs for their final lineup in the late ’00s, recorded an unreleased album with The Pogues’ Spider Stacey, and was a guitarist in several other bands. His project Knifeworld released the first of its four albums in 2009, he released solo albums in 2020 and 2024, and since 2014 he has released six albums with legendary prog-rock band Gong, serving as their lead singer since the death of Gong’s founder Daevid Allen in 2015. His other major ongoing project is The Utopia Strong, an electronica collaboration with Steve Davis that has released four studio albums since 2019. We discuss “Stars in Heaven” by Gong (co-written by the whole band) from Bright Spirit Haulix (2026), “Send Him Seaworthy” by Knifeworld from The Unraveling (2014), “You Broke My Fall” by Kavus Torabi from Hip to the Jag (2020), and “Wise Guy

Lande started in the 2010’s in the British punk-pop group Muncie Girls, with six releases (mostly EPs), and began her solo career in 2019. We discuss “Coming Home” (and listen at the end to the title track) from her fourth solo album Lucky Now (2026), “80 Days of Rain” from Going to Hell (2011), and “Learn In School” by Muncie Girls from From Caplan to Belsize (2016). Intro: “Gay Space Cadets” from House Without a View (2022). Watch videos to “Gay Space Cadets” and “Lucky Now.” Another single from the new album with a video now is “Favourite Pair of Shoes.” Watch Lande play “80 Days of Rain” live. Watch a full, recent live set with Watch Muncie Girls play “Learn in School” live. Hear their take on the Ramones’ “Pet Sematary.” Watch a Muncie-era solo acoustic performance. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyex

John has released at least fifteen albums, more than half of these under the name King Missile, but even this name covers three different bands, since John until recently didn’t play any instruments, so his music is always collaborative with one or more music writers. Apart from his various musical projects, he’s published around 50 books of poetry and publishes poems every day on his Facebook page. We discuss “Her Cock is True” from the yet-to-be-released King Missile album Quest for Fire (with music by Stephen Tunney, aka Dogbowl), “Eating People” by King Missile III from The Psychopathology of Everyday Life (2003, music by Bradford Reed), and “Sensitive Artist” by King Missile (Dog Fly Religion) from Fluting on the Hump (1987). End song: “Garden” by You, Me and This Fuckin’ Guy from Garden Variety Fuckers (2020, music by Azalia Snail and Dan West). Intro: “Detachable Penis” from Happy Hour (1992). We also get to hear how he wri

Folky singer/songwriter and psychotherapist Robert started in the ’80s but considers 1994 his professional debut and has now released his seventh album since then, The Space Between Us. We discuss “Attic of Desire” (and the intro is “The Forest From the Tree”) from that album, plus “Uncertain” from Beloved (2017), the title track from Earthside Down (1998), and we conclude by listening to “Rock A Bye” feat. Victoria Williams from Days Like These (1994). More at robertdeeble.com. Watch Robert’s video for “The Forest From the Tree.” The previous version of “Attic of Desire” was called “A Formal Apology” from Thirteen Stories (2003). Watch Robert and his band play “Earthside Down” live in 2002. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic. Sponsor: Download the Gametime app and use code NEM for $20 off your first purchase of co

Ontario guitarist Darren has released six albums of concise instrumentals since 2019, often using metal guitar tones and tropes, but with a great range of tones and often catchy melodies. We discuss “The Day Beneath Yesterday” (and listen at the end to “Dangerous Curves”) from Perpetual Night (2025), “Broken Glass and Disappointment” from Thoughts and Scares (2022), and “The Earth is B Flat” from Lifting the Curse (2019). Intro: The title track from Wonders of the Invisible World (2020). More at darrenboyd.com. Watch the video for the title track for the new album, showing his full band. Experience all of the song “Wonders of the Invisible World” with this video. He’s made videos for many of his songs; here’s the channel. Watch Darren talk about guitar shredding. Hear that 2018 “horror band” EP with a singer and lyrics that Darren wrote about murder and suicide. Also, The G-String Murders EP. Hear more Nakedly

In a special holiday episode, we get to meet the talented and very British musician and podcaster Roger Heathers, who is my new audio editor for this show and most of my others starting in Jan. 2025 or so. At the beginning and the end of the show, you get to hear two tracks from his soon to be released Upward Spiral: “Guard Dogs” and “Hopefully.” They both feature a warm, holiday-like glow. You can listen to him at rogerheathers.bandcamp.com, or check out The Weekly Song Podcast, where he and his buddy Declan each write and present a song to each other and talk about how they wrote them along with various music-related topics. Together, Roger and I hash through how we make the show and share some highlights and challenges re. recent guests. As mentioned at the end, my Substack (which I plan to do another post for soon) is marklinsenmayer.substack.com. If you’re interested in my spring philosophy class, check out partiallyexaminedlife.com/class. Hope you enjoy i

Corey has released many of zydeco music since 2004 (I count eight, but his bio says 16), and mixes his dedication to tradition (even recording a recent album in Louisiana Creole) with his love of many types of music. We discuss “J’ai Parti dans la Campagne” (and listen at the end to “Outro”) from his new release, Live in Alaska; “That Girl Wanna Dance” from the Grammy nominated Nothin’ But the Best (2012); and “Way Back Home,” a Jazz Crusaders (Wilton Felder) cover recorded for 3 Years 2 Late (2003). Intro: “Boudin Man (Remix)” from Destiny (2013) (written by Joseph Rossiyn). More at coreyledet.com. Hear all of “Boudin Man.” Watch a live version from back in 2004. Hear the original Accordion Man (2018) version of “J’ai Parti dans la Campagne.” Watch a full, recent live show. Watch a full solo from-home set from the pandemic. Watch Corey playing with my previous guest Louis Michot (hear Louis’ NEM i

Marshall began creating his catchy, harmonically thick rock tunes in the early '80s with six major label albums, but went indie in the '90s to record four more as well as several EPs and live collections. We discuss "Stranger and Stranger," newly reworked for From the Hellhole (2025), "Right On Time" from Jaggedland (2009), "Fantastic Planet of Love" from Life’s Too Short (1991), and we conclude by listening to Our Town" from Field Day (1983). Intro: "Someday, Someway" from Marshall Crenshaw (1982). More at marshallcrenshaw.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic. Sponsors: Go to surfshark.com/nakedly or use code nakedly at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance; connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at rula.com/nem.

Mark is joined by returning NEM guest Don Rauf (from Life In a Blender), singer/songwriter/cartoonist David Heatley), and writer/musician Dave "Diggy" Dawson aka Dave Philpott. Is funny music necessarily less sincerely emotional, and so a failure at what music is supposed to do? We discuss rock star personas, ironic use of genre, humor in musical gesture, Zappa, Spinal Tap, and more. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music at nakedlyexaminedmusic.com. Support us at patreon.com/nakedlyexaminedmusic. Sponsor: Go to surfshark.com/nakedly or use code nakedly at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN.

Singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Jonathan (currently based in Minneapolis) has been putting out indie rock solo albums since 1992, but has also ventured into traditional Finnish folk music and has multiple releases of tunes that I won't call Christian rock, but more rock that grapples with being someone who goes to church. We discuss "Diner by the Train" (and listen at the end to "Evidence") from Waves (2025), "Home Unknown" from Look Up (2015), "Tape" from Recital (1997), and "Failing Rockstar Attempt" from Sound Theology (2000). Intro: "When I Get Bored" from 11 Years and 28 Days in the Yellow Room (1992) More at junathanrundman.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. Sponsors: Visit square.com/go/nem to learn about how Square helps local businesses. Go to surfshark.com/nakedly or use code nakedly at checkout to get 4 extra months of SurfsharkVPN.

Adrian has applied his distinctive, spacey dub mixing techniques to numerous recordings since 1978 including Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Sinéad O'Connor, and Spoon and has released nine albums under his own name since 2003. He has effectively served as a key band member in several groups including Creation Rebel and African Head Charge.  We discuss "Body Roll" from The Collapse of Everything (2025), "Starship Bahia" from Survival & Resistance (2012), and "Sharp as a Needle" by Barmy Army from The English Disease (1989). End song: "Make Up Your Mind" by Coldcut (Ninja Tunes), et al from Outside the Echo Chamber (2017). Intro: "Movement in Space" by Creation Rebel from Starship Africa (1980). More at adriansherwood.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. Sponsor: Visit square.com/go/nem to learn about how Square helps local businesses.

Eric was a major figure in the 1960s NYC folk scene, and his early tunes have been covered by Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and many others. He's released 22 solo albums plus several live albums and two albums with The Band's Rick Danko as Danko/Fjeld/Andersen. We discuss "Don't It Make You Wanna Sing the Blues" from Dance of Love and Death (2025), "Rain Falls Down in Amsterdam" from Memory of the Future (1998), and "Six Senses of Darkness" from Ghosts Upon the Road (1989). End song: "Time Run Like a Freight Train" from Stages: The Lost Album (recorded 1973). Intro: "Violets of Dawn" from 'Bout Changes and Things (1966). More at ericandersen.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. Sponsor: Visit square.com/go/nem to learn about how Square helps local businesses.

This is an in memoriam reissue of a 2022 episode with a newly recorded introduction by Mark (your host, not the guest). Mark Stewart led the Pop Group through two albums in the late 70s two later reunion album and has released nine solo albums of trippy, experimental dance music. We discuss "Rage of Angels" (feat. Front 242) from VS (2022), "Age of Miracles" by The Pop Group from Citizen Zombie (2015), and "Liberty City" by Mark Stewart & the Maffia from Learning to Cope with Cowardice (1983). End song: "Cast No Shadow (Leather Strip Mix)" by feat. Stephen Mallinder and Eric Random from VS. Intro: "She Is Beyond Good and Evil" by The Pop Group from Y (1979). More at markstewartmusic.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon.

Maia has released ten lush, Americana-influenced singer-songwriter albums since 1997 and has collaborated with artists like Art Garfunkel, Bonnie Raitt, and Trisha Yearwood, and been covered by Cher, Paul Carrack, etc. We discuss "Counterintuition" (and listen to the title track) from Tomboy (2025), "Phoenix" from The Dash Between the Dates (2015), and "A Home" from Fine Upstanding Citizen (2005) (co-written with her father Randy Sharp and popularized in a cover version by The Chicks). Intro: "I Need This to Be Love" from Hardly Glamour (1997). More at maiasharp.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. Sponsor: Visit functionhealth.com/NAKEDLY to take control of your health through testing and get $100 off your membership.

...OK, maybe not his ending, but it's a late career boost into overdrive: This 66-year-old has been making music since the '80s, but you're only going to find two of his releases on the streaming services right now, and only this new album (released 20 years after the previous one) has the polish to count as a world-conquering, professional release. We discuss two songs from this new album Diner of Doubt: "My Dead Friend," and "I Have a Lotta Dreams," plus "Build Another One" (and the intro, "Chinese Lights") from Might Could Have (2004). End song: "Oh Dee Oh Oh" (2023). More at teetempleton.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. Sponsors: Visit functionhealth.com/NAKEDLY to take control of your health through testing and get $100 off your membership. Check out The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers for discussion of classic albums with cool guests.

New York singer-songwriter Willie has released sixteen albums since 1980. He has opened for The Who and Bruce Springsteen, among others, but rejected the major label life after his first two albums. We discuss "An Irish Goodbye" (feat. Paul Brady) from The Great Yellow Light (2025) (and listen at the end to "Wake Up, America" feat. Steve Earle from that album), "Cell Phones Ringing (In the Pockets of the Dead)" from Streets of New York (2006), and the title track from Places I Have Never Been (1991). Intro: "Vagabond Moon" from Willie Nile (1980). Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. Sponsor: Visit functionhealth.com/NAKEDLY to take control of your health through testing and get $100 off your membership.

Not only is John a multi-instrumentalist who's played with Violent Femmes, Allen Ginsberg, Hal Willner, John Prine, et al, but he's released around 24 albums as a solo artist or with groups including the NYC world music outfit TriBeCaStan. We discuss "(Be Careful What You Say to) An Armed Lady" by Folklorkestra from A Strange Day in June (2023), the title track from Forever Ago (with La Societe; del Musici) (2018), "Bed Bugs" by TriBeCaStan from New Deli (2012), and listen to "Back Country" by The Electric Chairmen from Toast (1995). Intro: "Grim Reaper’s Song" from Midnight Snack (1986). More at kruthworks.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. Sponsor: Visit functionhealth.com/NAKEDLY to take control of your health through testing and get $100 off your membership.

This famed finger-style guitarist broke through with Jefferson Airplane's seven albums from 1966-1972, recorded eight with Hot Tuna 1970-1976 (with subsequent reunions by both bands), recorded his first solo album in 1974 and then 10 more from 1981-2025, and has collaborated with John Hurlburt, members of the Grateful Dead, and Janice Joplin. We discuss "In My Dreams" from Ain't in No Hurry (2015), "Been So Long" from River of Time (2009), "Sleep Song" by Hot Tuna from America's Choice (1975). End song: "Hesitation Blues" from Reno Road: Unreleased Tracks from the 60s (1960). Intro: "Embryonic Journey" from Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow (1967). More at jormakaukonen.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon. If you enjoy our show, check out the All the Right Movies podcast.

Chris has around 20 releases since 1991, mostly under his own name, while moonlighting as a metal guy and otherwise collaborating. We discuss "She Looks Good in Black" from Obsolete Path (2025), "Intransitive Proverb" from Limitations of the Source Tape (2017), and "Angel Be Mine" from Your Own Chosen Speed (2001). End song: "Sisiphus" by Däng from Tartarus: The Darkest Realm (2014). Intro: "Every Time" by Flat Earth from Prefacipice (1991). More at chrischurch1.bandcamp.com Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon.

Bill released 8 albums from 1969-1977 with Sons of Champlin then moved to LA to become a solo artist and session musician, co-writing two Grammy-winning tunes. He was the designated soul singer in Chicago from 1981-2009 and released several solo albums starting in 1990 while continuing to collaborate widely. We discuss "Alone" from Livin' for Love (2021), the title track from He Started to Sing (1995), and "Right On" by Sons of Champlin from Welcome to the Dance (1973). End song: "Plaid" by Chicago from Stone of Sisyphus (1992). Intro: "Please Hold On" from Chicago 17 (1984). Learn more at billchamplin.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Support us on Patreon.